


Ain't Never Giving Up

by PariTMG



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brotherly Bonding, Comfort/Angst, Crutchie takes care of Les, David is worried about Les, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Crutchie/Jack Kelly, Minor Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins, Past Abuse, Past Neglect, Self-Hatred, Violence, all of them are hurt basically, jack has some anger issues, later in the book, thats not nice morris
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-03-30 16:12:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PariTMG/pseuds/PariTMG
Summary: When something unexpected happens during the newsboy strike, will Jack and the other newsies be able to fix the situation? How will they react when they find out that helping some of their brothers is going to be harder than they thought? And will Jack and David be able to help when they hit bumps in the road?A quick note: I started this (March 2018) when i was a sophomore in high school, so my writing isn't at all up to par. Constructive criticism is appreciated! Updates will be erratic but i will try my best. Hope you enjoy!!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> My name is Stevie (or Pari if you started as an online friend).
> 
> I recently became obsessed with Newsies and was inspired to write this book by a few fellow wattpad authors.
> 
> I am NOT a skilled writer by far so constructive criticism is always appreciated!
> 
> If you have any suggestions for events in the story (Ie: more angsty scenes, more fluff, ect.) please feel free to contact me!
> 
> Being a sophomore in high school in all honors classes, in an almost full time rehearsal schedule (for our production of Oliver! The Musical) and fighting for a scholarship so you can get out of a backwash town is hard, so please try to be patient with me!
> 
> Also a recommendation- One of the first Newsies fics i read was "Brewin' in the Burroughs" on Wattpad so if you want a good Newsies fic to read go give it some love!
> 
> Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoy! :D
> 
> <3 Stevie

Snyder and his crew stepped through the gates as the newsboys fought. A sense of fear filled the air as they noticed the bulls approach. The aura was definitely a mixture between fear, anger and determination.After Snyder basically took out one of the newsies, full chaos ensued. Jack tried his best to keep the younger boys out of reach of the bulls. He didn't want to believe it, but they were getting defeated. And fast. But Jack didn't want to let that stop him.

"Oh look, Morris!" Oscar Delancey said as he neared a blonde boy who was trying his best to help fight. "It's a crip!" Crutchie turned around quickly.

"How did i not smell you'se?" Crutchie teased.

"Oh you'se quick to tease,you lousy crip!" Morris shot back. "When you'se can't even keep yourself upright without a measly crutch!" He attempted to snatch the crutch out from under the boy's arm, but instead was knocked to the ground. Oscar grabbed it as Crutchie was trying to get back up, causing him to fall. He knew he was unable to get back up without the crutch. Snyder had been watching and rushed over, snatching the crutch from Oscar. He raised the crutch above the boy, bringing it down swiftly. Screams rang throughout newsie square. Snyder soon cuffed him.

"Jack, help me! Jack!" Crutchie called out in between sobs. Tears welled in Jack's eyes as he witnessed his friend get dragged out of the square by his bum leg. Jack ran off soon after.

He climbed the ladder up to his penthouse. Overwhelmed, tears flooded his face. He punched the railing. He was pissed. Jack groaned a bit, seeing his knuckles had started bleeding. Crutchie would have stopped him before that happened. He remembered how bad the refuge was when he was in there before. The constant nightmares only reminded him of it all the time. He sat down and put his head in his hands. He couldn't let Snyder even look at him. Especially now that the strike was going on. He took a deep breath. He'd get Crutchie out of there if it was the last thing he did.

"Jack?!" He heard a voice call from the ladder, followed by a few breaths. "Thank God, they told me you'd be up here." The source of the face came into view. It was David. Jack wiped his eyes.

"What the hell is you'se doin' up here, Dave?" Jack asked, rising to his feet.

"I can't find Les."

"What, you think I has him? Well apologies but i'se don't got him!"

"Jack, calm down!" David looked at him. "You okay?"

"My best friend just got dragged away by the bulls, The bulls! And I just stood there and... a-a-and watched!" Jack yelled. "Now he's in the Refuge!" Jack shook his head in frustration.

"Jack, We'll get him out." David put a hand on his shoulder and he flinched. "I know you won't stop until you do. You're determined and we ain't givin up." He playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Thanks, Dave." Jack said. He sighed and they were quiet for a while until Jack spoke up once more. "Where all have you checked?"

"Everywhere i could imagine. Home, Newsies square, even the lodging house." David replied. "Our folks will kill me if he's missing! He's only nine anyway."

"We can go find the boys," Jack suggested. "One of them's sure to know."

"Okay." David nodded worriedly. "Do you know where they are?"

"No idea," Jack said. David paled. "but we'll find them." They started on their way down the busy manhattan streets, checking everywhere they thought of. The last place they checked was the deli. Jack supposed that might be where they'd meet since they had met there a few days before. His suspicion had been correct. Jacobi's deli was littered with manhattan newsies. Hell, Race was even sulking and that was really unusual for him.

"Hey," Jack spoke up, making sure they all could hear him. They all looked up. Some sighed of relief and others just sulked more. "Has anybody seen Les?" Some of the boys turned away. "Nobody?"

"I did... " Finch spoke up.

"What do you'se mean you'se did?" Jack asked. "Dave here needs to find his brother 'fore his head explodes."

"We ain't really much help at this point, Jack." Specs added.

"Can someone just tell me where my damn brother is?!" David said. It was unusual to hear him curse, especially since he was always asking people not to. Jack took it as just being worried and overwhelmed because he sure as hell was too. No one was immediate to answer, which stressed David out even more. "Can't someone say something?"

"The refuge..." Sniper said under his breath.

"What was that Snipes?" Jack asked, hoping he just heard wrong.

"The refuge." Sniper said again, only a little louder. Jack and David exchanged glances. Jack had seen that expression before. He couldn't place where but he knew he remembered that broken, worrisome facial expression. David took a deep breath but shook his head.

"Oh no... How am i ever going to explain this to our folks? They'll beat me if they find out!" David looked down. "Not only that, but Jack you've told stories! What if Les doesn't come back?! What am i-" Jack immediately cut him off.

"Don't you'se go with them what if's, Dave." Jack looked at him. "We'se gonna get him. We ain't gonna stop 'til we do, like you'se said." Jack looked at the newsies. "None of us will ever give up till we get both of our boys out of the refuge."

"Right. " David nodded. "We won't stop until it's over." He looked at him again, this time bearing more confidence.

"We should go now. Specs, Finch," Jack paused and waited for them to look up at him. "You'se in charge 'till i get back." They nodded. Jack nodded to David and they left the deli.

 

 

Snyder and his crew stepped through the gates as the newsboys fought. A sense of fear filled the air as they noticed the bulls approach. The aura was definitely a mixture between fear, anger and determination. After Snyder basically took out one of the newsies, full chaos ensued. Jack tried his best to keep the younger boys out of reach of the bulls. He didn't want to believe it, but they were getting defeated. And fast. But Jack didn't want to let that stop him.

"Oh look, Morris!" Oscar Delancey said as he neared a blonde boy who was trying his best to help fight. "It's a crip!" Crutchie turned around quickly.

"How did i not smell you'se?" Crutchie teased.

"Oh you'se quick to tease,you lousy crip!" Morris shot back. "When you'se can't even keep yourself upright without a measly crutch!" He attempted to snatch the crutch out from under the boy's arm, but instead was knocked to the ground. Oscar grabbed it as Crutchie was trying to get back up, causing him to fall. He knew he was unable to get back up without the crutch. Snyder had been watching and rushed over, snatching the crutch from Oscar. He raised the crutch above the boy, bringing it down swiftly. Screams rang throughout newsie square. Snyder soon cuffed him.

"Jack, help me! Jack!" Crutchie called out in between sobs. Tears welled in Jack's eyes as he witnessed his friend get dragged out of the square by his bum leg. Jack ran off soon after.

He climbed the ladder up to his penthouse. Overwhelmed, tears flooded his face. He punched the railing. He was pissed. Jack groaned a bit, seeing his knuckles had started bleeding. Crutchie would have stopped him before that happened. He remembered how bad the refuge was when he was in there before. The constant nightmares only reminded him of it all the time. He sat down and put his head in his hands. He couldn't let Snyder even look at him. Especially now that the strike was going on. He took a deep breath. He'd get Crutchie out of there if it was the last thing he did.

"Jack?!" He heard a voice call from the ladder, followed by a few breaths. "Thank God, they told me you'd be up here." The source of the face came into view. It was David. Jack wiped his eyes.

"What the hell is you'se doin' up here, Dave?" Jack asked, rising to his feet.

"I can't find Les."

"What, you think I has him? Well apologies but i'se don't got him!"

"Jack, calm down!" David looked at him. "You okay?"

"My best friend just got dragged away by the bulls, The bulls! And I just stood there and... a-a-and watched!" Jack yelled. "Now he's in the Refuge!" Jack shook his head in frustration.

"Jack, We'll get him out." David put a hand on his shoulder and he flinched. "I know you won't stop until you do. You're determined and we ain't givin up." He playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Thanks, Dave." Jack said. He sighed and they were quiet for a while until Jack spoke up once more. "Where all have you checked?"

"Everywhere i could imagine. Home, Newsies square, even the lodging house." David replied. "Our folks will kill me if he's missing! He's only nine anyway."

"We can go find the boys," Jack suggested. "One of them's sure to know."

"Okay." David nodded worriedly. "Do you know where they are?"

"No idea," Jack said. David paled. "but we'll find them." They started on their way down the busy manhattan streets, checking everywhere they thought of. The last place they checked was the deli. Jack supposed that might be where they'd meet since they had met there a few days before. His suspicion had been correct. Jacobi's deli was littered with manhattan newsies. Hell, Race was even sulking and that was really unusual for him.

"Hey," Jack spoke up, making sure they all could hear him. They all looked up. Some sighed of relief and others just sulked more. "Has anybody seen Les?" Some of the boys turned away. "Nobody?"

"I did... " Finch spoke up.

"What do you'se mean you'se did?" Jack asked. "Dave here needs to find his brother 'fore his head explodes."

"We ain't really much help at this point, Jack." Specs added.

"Can someone just tell me where my damn brother is?!" David said. It was unusual to hear him curse, especially since he was always asking people not to. Jack took it as just being worried and overwhelmed because he sure as hell was too. No one was immediate to answer, which stressed David out even more. "Can't someone say something?"

"The refuge..." Sniper said under his breath.

"What was that Snipes?" Jack asked, hoping he just heard wrong.

"The refuge." Sniper said again, only a little louder. Jack and David exchanged glances. Jack had seen that expression before. He couldn't place where but he knew he remembered that broken, worrisome facial expression. David took a deep breath but shook his head.

"Oh no... How am i ever going to explain this to our folks? They'll beat me if they find out!" David looked down. "Not only that, but Jack you've told stories! What if Les doesn't come back?! What am i-" Jack immediately cut him off.

"Don't you'se go with them what if's, Dave." Jack looked at him. "We'se gonna get him. We ain't gonna stop 'til we do, like you'se said." Jack looked at the newsies. "None of us will ever give up till we get both of our boys out of the refuge."

"Right. " David nodded. "We won't stop until it's over." He looked at him again, this time bearing more confidence.

"We should go now. Specs, Finch," Jack paused and waited for them to look up at him. "You'se in charge 'till i get back." They nodded. Jack nodded to David and they left the deli.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here we go a good start while i finish typing the rest. Hope you like it and trust me, more to come (I've written 22 pages out on paper already)


	2. Chapter 2

After they exited Jacobi's deli, they started on their way to the Refuge. It was on the outskirts of Manhattan. It was a few stories tall and it almost looked abandoned. David didn't ask any questions on the way there. Jack led him there and stopped David before they got into sight. David finally broke the silence.

"So... how are we getting in?" He asked in a whisper.

"There should be a faulty lock on the second floor. We'll go up the fire escape. That's how i got out." Jack said. David started to walk towards the building but Jack stopped him. "Hold your horses. You want us to be in there too?"

"No." David said.

"We'se gotta make sure nobody's around first, Dave." Jack said. "They see us they'se sure to come try to take us too." Jack scoped out the area seeing that there wasn't anyone around and led David to the fire escape. They stopped at the window that went to the boys bunks and Jack looked at the lock. "Still faulty."

"So we just go in?"

"No, I will first. Don't get too spooked by anything, okay?" David nodded. Jack opened the window, looking around. "Stay here for now." He climbed through. You could see the window from all of the bunks. A kid rushed over to Jack.

"Jack? Jack Kelly?" He whispered. "Is that really you?" The boy had messy red hair and his face was filled with freckles. He had green eyes. His short stature only reached Jack's chest.

"Hey Jumper." Jack smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. Jumper hugged him. Jack crouched down near to his height. "Say, you'se wouldn't happen to have received two new boys today, would ya?"

"How'd you know, Jack?" He asked. It happened to be just loud enough for a few boys to hear it and rush over.

"Cause they'se our boys, Jump." Jack replied. "Could you get them over here?"

"Yeah! I'll get them for you!" Jumper ran off. Jack looked back at David.

"Who was that?" David asked.

"That there was Jumper. He was one of the youngest kids when i was here." Jack paused. "He's maybe thirteen now.."

"It's Jack! He's actually-"

"Hey, Hey..." Jack shushed him. "We don't want no bulls knowin we'se here, yeah?" Les nodded. "Now, come see your brother 'fore he has a heart attack."

"David's here too?!" Les' eyes lit up.

"'Course he is! He's been worried sick 'bout you. He's on the fire escape." Les started to make his way to the window. "Hey, Hey! Where's Crutch?"

"Oh.. Jack.. I don't know if that's a good idea.."

"What do you mean 'not a good idea'?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"I-It's just he ain't doing so good, Jack..." Les' eyes were filled with fear. Jack saw Davey out of the corner of his eye, wanting to jump over him but he held up a finger, telling him to wait.

"Can you'se tell me what happened?" Jack asked.

"They soaked him," Les looked down. "They were gonna soak me too but Crutchie started arguing and an older boy brought me in here." Jack nodded. "They brought Crutchie in a little while ago but the older boys told me not to get near him."

"Can I see him?" Jack asked. About that time, Jumper came around the corner with Crutchie propping himself up the best he could on the short boy's shoulder. Crutchie's trademark optimistic smile spread across his face. But this time, it was different. It wasn't enough to mask the pain of the soaking he had gotten before. Jack rushed over to Crutchie, letting him put his weight on him. The jacobses reunited and Jack would have bet that David was going to start crying.

"Oh my god, Les are you alright?" David started rapidly checking him over and hugged him tightly.

"I'm fine, David!" Les grinned.

"Les, you don't know how glad i am that you're okay!"

"Thanks." Les smiled again and latched onto him again.

"I love you, Les."

"I love you too, David."

Jack looked at Crutchie. He looked bad, in all honesty. He already had a black eye forming and bruises over his face. They had stripped him of everything but what was needed.

"Jack," Crutchie's voice wavered. "Can you'se stop starin'?" He smiled again as the boy's eyes met his.

"Sorry.." Jack looked down. "Crutch, I'se so sorry I didn't get down there and help-"

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Jack. You'se was doin' your best."

"No, I just... watched.. As they took you away!"

"Really Jack..." Crutchie chuckled a bit. "I forgives ya. You'se always so quick to blame yourself." Jack sighed.

"What did they do to you'se?" He asked, adjusting his cap.

"They was askin' questions 'bout you and Dave and the rest of the boys." A hint of frustration showed in his face. "I wasn't gonna just tell them! 'Speshly where you all was." Crutchie pushed his hair out of his face with his free hand. "I hates to say this," he paused to make sure Jack was listening. "But I don't think we should leave. 'Specially since they'se already after you and Davey."

"Crutch-"

"Jack. They's after the boys too... I don't want to risk puttin' any of them in danger." Crutchie sighed. "What if they try to hurt you'se? What if they find out you'se came?"

"Crutchie, we're gonna get you'se both outta here." Jack insisted. Some of the older boys watched from around the bunks.

"Just not today." Crutchie looked at him. "I can't walk and I ain't letting you'se get hurt."

"Dave, Les, Come 'ere." Jack called them over. David brought Les over.

"What is it, Jack?" Davey scanned the boy's face.

"Dave, I know you'se don't want to hear this but we needs to go." Jack said. David started to protest but Jack cut him off. "Before you go screamin' my head off, hear me out. Crutchie and i both agree that we need to plan this out. They'se after us, Dave."

"You don't understand. You're telling me to leave my brother in an abusive jail."

"And you think I'se wanna leave them any more than you do?" Jack was starting to get jittery. "Look. with the strike still goin' on as it is, We'se sure to get them out soon without anybody hurtin' 'em or any of us on the outside." Jack looked up at him. "They'se strong and we need a plan, yeah? We needs to make a plan like we did with the strike."

"I don't know, Jack."

"Dave. Look at me." Davey looked up. "They'se threatenin' your folks. I knows how they is. They's never backed out unless it costed Snyder money."

"Ja-"

"And he can have that swept under the rug in no time." Davey looked down, trying to figure out what to do.

"They'se sure to be back soon, though." Crutchie spoke up. "For me.. I ain't answered their questions and they ain't gon' stop draggin' me in there 'til I do." Crutchie rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "I won't let nothin' happen to him, Davey."

"You can't promise that..." Davey said.

"I won't let them hurt him if it's on my account. And if they do-"

"Youse ain't gonna do nothin." Jack interrupted the crippled boy. "Or you'se gonna get the both of you killed."

"David. Just let mom and dad know i'm okay and i'll be back."

"Les..."

"Dave... It's all we'se got for right now." Jack said. "Now are you gonna stay here and get caught or are we leavin'?" David hugged Les.

"We're coming back for you. I love you."

"I love you too." Les hugged him tightly then they released, allowing David to get out of the window and Les to Jumper and Crutchie's side. Jack put a hand on Crutchie's shoulder.

"You hang in there, Okay?" Crutchie nodded and smiled.

"Take care of the boys, don't let 'em worry too much." Jack nodded and made his way to the window as Les and Jumper took Crutchie to the bunk. All the boys ran to their bunks too. Jack and David made their way down the fire escape as quiet as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so weird re-reading when i type because half of this wasn't even in the original writing i have down. So well I hope you liked it and don't worry, It'll get a lot angstier and more interesting!!


End file.
